Kent Bush: Dazzling speeches rally Democrats

John McCain and President Bush give such poor speeches that Republican "talking points" attempt to make giving good speeches a detriment.

Kent Bush

Since when is giving a great speech a bad thing?

Barack Obama won a nomination on his abilities to inspire large crowds by expressing his beliefs.

This week at the Democratic National Convention, Obama's wife, Michelle, and his biggest rival, Hilary Clinton, have dazzled the Denver dedicatees by building up the Democratic candidate and warning Americans about the dangers of electing another Republican to the White House.

John McCain hopes these speeches are falling on deaf ears. In fact, he -- and the current resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- gives such poor speeches that Republican "talking points" attempt to make giving good speeches a detriment.

Their phrases include: "when the teleprompter is removed" or "when he isn't giving an orchestrated speech," insinuating that giving an orchestrated speech using a teleprompter is a bad thing.

These weren't GOP talking points when Ronald Reagan was in the White House.

After hearing Hilary Clinton's speech Tuesday night, McCain is left to hope Americans are more interested in his talking points than the Democrats' speeches.

Clinton's speech was well-written, and it was her best work.

"I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?" she asked. "We need leaders once again who can tap into that special blend of American confidence and optimism that has enabled generations before us to meet our toughest challenges. Leaders who can help us show ourselves and the world that with our ingenuity, creativity and innovative spirit, there are no limits to what is possible in America. This won't be easy. Progress never is. But it will be impossible if we don't fight to put a Democrat in the White House."

One of her best quips included the blast, "Well, John McCain says the economy is fundamentally sound. John McCain doesn't think that 47 million people without health insurance is a crisis. John McCain wants to privatize Social Security. And in 2008, he still thinks it's OK when women don't earn equal pay for equal work," she said. "Now, with an agenda like that, it makes perfect sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities. Because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart."

I'm glad the GOP will head to the Land of 10,000 Lakes next week for their convention. We'll find out who will join McCain on the ticket. We'll find out what role President George Bush and Vice President Dick Chaney will play in light of their ever-sagging approval ratings.

But most of all, we'll find out if Republicans still believe well-spun speeches are merely a tool of the liberals.

Currently, the candidates are tied in most major polls.

In 10 days, that is unlikely to be the case. Both will have filled the ticket and celebrated their official nominations.

Americans will finally have something more than a 30-second attack ad on which to base their opinion.

Both parties have a chance to seize control of the 2008 race.

Only time will tell who picks up speed and who spins his wheels.

Augusta Gazette

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